Portraits in Oxford *

OP91
Sir Hans Sloane, Baronet

Artist: by Jonathan Richardson, the elder

Date: 1730

Medium: oil on canvas

Measurements: height 2362 mm. (93 in.) width 1448 mm. (57 in.)

Inscriptions:
along lower edge: ‘ΟΝ Δ’ ΑΎΤΗ ΠΟΛΎΜΗΤΙΣ ‘ΑΝΕΠΛΑΣΕ ΧΕΡΣΙΝ ΑΘΗΝΗ. Αppos. Rad. Palmer Arm./ J. Richardson pinx. 1730’

Acquisition: gift from Sir Hans Sloane, Baronet, 1731

Location: Examination Schools

Description:
Whole length, seated to left on a blue chair placed on a dais decorated with squares of red set in green; long, light grey periwig parted in centre and falling over shoulders; square bands, lace ruffles; scarlet robe with crimson silk sleeves and facings of Doctor of Medicine (D.M.); lace ruffles; his right elbow rests beside his doctor's cap on a table to left, his right hand in his lap; his left hand closed into a fist, a large diamond ring on his little finger, rests on his thigh; dark architectural background.

Given to the University by the sitter in 1731: 'Hans Sloane. Eq. Aurat & M.D. Coll. Med. Lond. & S.R. Praeses Effigiae sua munere gratissimo Xystos Bodleianos locupletavit' ('Registrum Benefactorum', for the year 1731, Library Records b.903, Bodleian Library, no pagination)

It was moved from the Bodleian Library to the Examination Schools in 1926: 'Read a letter from Bodley's Librarian offering two large portraits, one of Archbishop Potter and the other of Sir Hans Sloane, to the Schools. It was resolved that the offer be accepted.' (Minutes of the Curators of the Schools, 1914-[1952], 7 Dec 1926, Oxford University Archives, ES/1/1/2, p.81)

'A good specimen. Powerfully & dryly painted. Hands less good than in preceding [John King], folds of gowns large & coarse' (G. Scharf, 'Trustees' Sketchbooks, 31 July 1874, National Portrait Gallery Archive, London, Oxon II, pp.16-17)

In Jonathan Richardson: Art Theorist of the Enlightenment (2000), Carol Gibson-Wood drew attention to Ellis Waterhouse's opinion that this portrait by Richardson of Sir Hans Sloane was ' "his noblest experiment in the grand manner" ' (p.70). Her account of the portrait, which draws on several contemporary sources, is of considerable interest in the history of the University's art collections, as well as to the study of Richardson's work, and is therefore cited below at length.

'[The portrait] is fully documented in a way that sheds light on both Richardson's reputation and his own attitudes to his work. Edward Butler of Magdalen College requested that Sir Hans present a portrait of himself to Oxford university, for he saw this as a potential means of gaining Sloane's favour and his donation to the Ashmolean Museum of some of the curiosities from his great collection. In June 1730 Butler informed Sloane that the university wished to have his portrait in order that it "may have a place in Our Picture Gallery amongst the other Great Men." Butler's case was expedited by Ralph Palmer, an Oxford graduate who was a personal friend of Sloane's, and Sir Hans consented to sit for his portrait. The choice of painters was left up to the sitter, who offered to have it done by "the best hand"; Sloane chose Jonathan Richardson, with whom both he and Ralph Palmer were already acquainted. Throughout the autumn of 1730 Palmer provided Butler with accounts of Richardson's progress with the portrait, which was completed by the end of December and arrived at Oxford on 2 January 1731. In early February Palmer wrote to Sloane to tell him of "ye success of your noble Picture at Oxford":

"at last I have received the Intelligence, and that from several good hands, that it is universally Admired. It is hung in an excellent good light between a half length piece of Hevelius (as large as Dr. Hamey's at ye College) on one side and one of ye same size of Dr. Hally on ye other, wch last was done by Murray, but ye colours are sunk to a scandalous degree, as that of Sir Thomas Millington's in Warwick Lane, which is no disadvantage to Mr. Richardson my Son says, as young a Connoisseur as he is."

An amusing postscript to the same letter reveals the importance that Richardson attached to the reception of this painting:

"I have relievd Mr. Richardson's labouring expectations, who was in great distress and almost devour'd with ye vapours, for want of an account of ye success of his Work, wch I have at last communicated to him, and I doubt not but he is now easy." ' (ibid., pp.70-71)

Exhibitions:
Oxford Exhibition of Historical Portraits, Examination Schools, Oxford, 1906, 68; Treasures of Oxford, Goldsmiths Hall, London, 1953, no.382

Literature:
A. Wood, History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford ed. by J. Gutch, 2 vols (1792-1796), II, Part II, p.965; G. Scharf, 'Trustee Sketchbooks', III, 1860, p.66, Oxon II, 31 July 1874, p.16 (National Portrait Gallery Archive, London); Illustrated catalogue of a loan collection of portraits of English historical personages who died between 1714 and 1837: exhibited in the Examination schools, Oxford, April and May, MDCCCCVI (1906), no.68, reproduced; R. Lane Poole, Catalogue of Portraits in the possession of the University, Colleges, City, and County of Oxford, 3 vols (1912, 1925), I, p.101, no.252; G. Vertue, 'Note-books V', The Walpole Society XXVI (1938), p.17; J. Kerslake, National Portrait Gallery, Early Georgian Portraits (1977), p.251, reproduced, pl.737; C. Gibson-Wood, Jonathan Richardson: Art Theorist of the Enlightenment (2000), pp.70-71, reproduced, pl.31